2014 Municipal Election: Toronto Mayoral Race

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Kathleen Wynnes former campaign manager and deputy chief of staff, I believe.

Thanks!

 

[picard102]

And who would be a dynamic mayor? Olivia Chow? I doubt that.

Paint drying is more dynamic than Chow.

 

[Grimace]

So did a lot of people. Let the past be the past.

Says a guy who voted for Ford presumably.

It is entirely fair to reject anyone who supported Ford. Either you weren't paying enough attention, which might be forgivable in a voter but not a prospective mayor, or you were willing to overlook his well documented history of terrible behaviour, ridiculous voting record, and utter lack of intelligence or competence.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Says a guy who voted for Ford presumably.

It is entirely fair to reject anyone who supported Ford. Either you weren't paying enough attention, which might be forgivable in a voter but not a prospective mayor, or you were willing to overlook his well documented history of terrible behaviour, ridiculous voting record, and utter lack of intelligence or competence.

I didn't vote for Rob, I was a smitherman guy

 

[Silence&Motion]

So did a lot of people. Let the past be the past.

Ford's policies have been an absolute failure. The "gravy" never materialized. His promise not to cut services was proven to be a lie. As was his promise never to raise taxes. And his promise that the private sector would pay for subways.

Many of the people who bought into Ford's conservative agenda in 2010 have come to realize that it was a lie. Tory and Stintz are apparently still trying to peddle it as truth.

The one possible benefit of Tory would be a "Nixon in China" situation - or more accurately a "Michael Bloomberg" situation. The fact that he's a conservative might give him political cover to raise taxes or do things like install bus ROWs in the suburbs - things that Chow might be too cautious to propose. However, he has yet to offer any indication that he would actual do this. Absent an indication, he's just a "kinder, gentler version of Mayor Ford's failure".

 

[devjohnson]

You posted a glowing review of her visit, the prospect of which motivated her visit.

She's not a wonderful candidate. I think all the candidates but Ford would feel fine in a gay bar shaking hands.

Which is why I made a point of telling her I really appreciated her being there. Considering all the hate the gay community gets from our current mayor, it was nice to see a confident candidate that was very open and comfortable with the community. I don't care if she was "campaigning". It showed a lot about her character, hence the glowing review.

She still doesn't have my vote with her flip-flopping issues all the time, but who knows what I'll think come October!

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Which is why I made a point of telling her I really appreciated her being there. Considering all the hate the gay community gets from our current mayor, it was nice to see a confident candidate that was very open and comfortable with the community. I don't care if she was "campaigning". It showed a lot about her character, hence the glowing review.

She still doesn't have my vote with her flip-flopping issues all the time, but who knows what I'll think come October!

It's sad that a candidate being supportive of gays is seen as something special because of the anomalies that are the Ford Bros (not saying that you're doing this, devjohnson). Personally I find their gay basing amusing. The bigot commutiy can be a pretty amusing bunch of people.

She still doesn't have my vote with her flip-flopping issues all the time, but who knows what I'll think come October!

I probably have more respect for a person who votes for Ford than someone who votes for Stintz. At least Ford supporters can say their candidate stands for something. Stintz supporters (do they exist?) stand for nothing thanks to their flippy floppy leader.

 

[devjohnson]

It's sad that a candidate being supportive of gays is seen as something special because of the anomalies that are the Ford Bros (not saying that you're doing this, devjohnson). Personally I find their gay basing amusing. The bigot commutiy can be a pretty amusing bunch of people.

I'm originally from the states. I'm quite used to seeing bigotry in politics.

 

[freshcutgrass]

I'm originally from the states. I'm quite used to seeing bigotry in politics.

The difference is you can't actually openly run on bigoted policies here (and win). Ford panders to all the conservative anti-whatever groups by being obvious about it, without actually saying it. Then having the balls to try and pander to moderates by saying things like "Rob's the biggest social liberal ever". It's untenable.

It's pretty easy to figure out which candidate is the least pandering to minority groups.

 

[Southcore]

Well time to post here. I support Tory until Chow is more concrete. Yes I am a bandwagoner.


My priorities are

1)Eglinton West extention to the airport. Finch West LRT, with extension to Finch station very soon.
2)A final decision on sheppard.
3)Support for revenue tools
4)Last call to 4:30am, it's time.

I too am a bandwagoner, though undecided. My only two options are Chow and Tory (if Soknacki was polling higher I would actually get behind him. I think if it was him vs Ford in 2010 we may have had him as mayor right now). Regarding your priorities though - I agree with all four, but where does Chow's non-committal DRL stance sit with you? Also, regarding extending last call, while mayoral support helps, doesn't the province have the final say on this?

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

I too am a bandwagoner, though undecided. My only two options are Chow and Tory (if Soknacki was polling higher I would actually get behind him. I think if it was him vs Ford in 2010 we may have had him as mayor right now). Regarding your priorities though - I agree with all four, but where does Chow's non-committal DRL stance sit with you? Also, regarding extending last call, while mayoral support helps, doesn't the province have the final say on this?

I believe Toronto has extended powers and only has to pass it through council. Chow's non committal stance on the DRL really bugs me which is why I support Tory. I think he will push to get it to eglinton on both sides. I think the DRL is needed to prevent Yonge from turning into an ant colony.

 

[edmundoconnor]

Chow on the DRL:

http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=197177

Me: The one thing that perplexed me from the first couple days of the campaign was the question of the relief line and what your position is and why you're taking it. The other day you said sort of "we'll get around to it eventually."

Chow: No, no, no. I think we need to see how much money we have. I would love to have it built. But … can we fund it? Where's the funding gonna come from? Of course it's needed.

Me: That is something that would be a priority?

Chow: Oh absolutely. But I'm not gonna go promise things that I don't know where the funding comes from. That's not my style. [That’s] the other candidates' style, but certainly not my style, right? If you can't say where the money comes from or how much it is or when you think it can be done — then it's a promise that's empty. It's not meaningful.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Chow on the DRL:

http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=197177

Me: The one thing that perplexed me from the first couple days of the campaign was the question of the relief line and what your position is and why you're taking it. The other day you said sort of "we'll get around to it eventually."

Chow: No, no, no. I think we need to see how much money we have. I would love to have it built. But … can we fund it? Where's the funding gonna come from? Of course it's needed.

Me: That is something that would be a priority?

Chow: Oh absolutely. But I'm not gonna go promise things that I don't know where the funding comes from. That's not my style. [That’s] the other candidates' style, but certainly not my style, right? If you can't say where the money comes from or how much it is or when you think it can be done — then it's a promise that's empty. It's not meaningful.

So I was wrong. Nice to meet you edmund.

 

[edmundoconnor]

A pleasure to meet you, Den. Tory's campaign has no interest of course in broadcasting this clarification, of course. That would ruin their narrative.

 

[edmundoconnor]

I have a feeling that Tory is going to bring this up at the first debate. I hope Chow gives a precise and firm an answer as she gave to Goldsbie. It's going to be decidedly awkward for Tory and Stintz to be on the same page as Ford regarding the B-D extension, so Tory is going to go after Chow in order to distract people from that.